How to design a FLICKING board game! *Top 10 Mechanisms*
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ส.ค. 2024
- I recently received a complimentary review copy of Pitch Out from Hachette Boardgames UK, and it’s a great little flicking game. It reminded me of all the fun I’ve had over the years with Catacombs, Cube Quest, Flick em up and other similar games. So I thought this would be an opportune time to explore flicking games a little deeper. Which features crop up time and again in these chaotic dexterity games? In this video, I’ll be looking at 10 mechanisms frequently utilised - and if you fancy designing a flicking game yourself, this might be a good place to start!
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I'm a big fan of flicking games. I do a lot of research about it. Your video is one of the best I've ever seen. Very nice!
Thanks! Any suggestions for good flicking games that I missed? :)
A couple of others:
Mars Open: Tabletop Golf is a fun one. It's an accuracy-based flicking game, but the object you flick is very different from other flicking games I've played - it's a "paper football" that flies through the air instead of sliding or rolling.
Tumblin' Dice: Fabulous Dice flicking game - great math game for young learners, but absolutely fun enough to play with grownups as a dexterity game.
Nice suggestions! Both games which I’d like to try.
Thank you so much for this video!
I always watch your vids out of curiosity and research for my own game designs and getting into board games has really been a new thing for me this past year. I completed my first game, am now working on a second one, and have three more waiting to go after that. Not once have I thought about dexterity games though and I had never heard of Flick 'em Up. I checked out game reviews on it and was sold on getting it for my 5 year old daughter and I to play together... but then I found Flick 'em Up Dead of Winter!!! My kid LOVES zombie themed games and this discovery just made the last minute gift idea the top gift under the tree this year.
You are the best person I've come across for the board game business and you've contributed so much. You're personable and communicative too. All great qualities!
Thanks Jared. Much appreciated. I haven’t played the Dead of Winter version of Flick Em Up. I hope your daughter likes it! If she’s into Zombies, I’d strongly recommend Zombie Teenz Evolution (see my recent review). She’s exactly the right age for it - and you’ll have fun with it too.
@@AdaminWales My daughter's birthday is a month before x-mas and it was actually because of your video that I got her Zombie Teenz. I wanted to make sure she liked the concept first, so I have it coming for x-mas this year and I got her Zombie Kidz for her birthday. She loves that game and at the rate we've been playing it, we should have it completed by x-mas, just in time for the next one. All thanks to you!
If I could make a request... I would love it if you could make a video about the hidden movement mechanism in games. I've been trying to figure out how to do it well for one of my games I'm designing, but there just aren't that many games that do it or do it well for that matter. Is it just a doomed concept?
Also, another game I'm working on (backburner kind of thing) had an interesting issue I was noticing. It's a horror game that creates a lot of tension and mistrust between players and my goal is to have it actually cause fear. The problem though is that fear and tension primarily stems from the unknown and the very idea of a board game requires the players to know all the rules so they can play it... so they now know everything. Can a board game truly be scary to play? I've already answered this problem with my own ways about it, but I'd be curious to hear you weigh in on it.
I added my e-mail address to my account and would love to converse with you more on these sorts of things.
Hi Jared. I don’t think I know enough about hidden movement to make video on it! I love Scotland Yard, but have never found another game which uses the mechanism well. I didn’t enjoy Fury of Dracula. Escape from the Aliens in Outer Space was mediocre. But I do like Mr Jack (which is similar concept).
I don’t think I’ve ever felt scared by a board game. I think it would be hard to pull off. For me, I’m less likely to be scared if I’m with other people. So I think a solo game has the best chance. But it would have to be really immersive. Like a scary novel. To be honest though, I’m not sure I’ve ever been scared reading a book!
You are welcome to email me if you have questions or thoughts. My address is on my website adamportergames.com
I do get a lot of emails, and I don’t have a lot of time for the channel, so I can’t always guarantee a speedy reply! :)
That was a great overview and history! Safranito is back in print as Hibachi by Grail Games.
Ah that’s great. I’d noticed that a few months ago then forgot about it. It’s a really fun game :)
Really cool video. Thanks for doing this analysis of flicking games! In addition to soccer played with quarters, paper football is another flicking game that I played all the time in school
Thanks for the video which I'd missed previously but you helpfully drew my attention to earlier while being interviewed by Bez. I like the intro about history of flicking games as well as the analysis of frequently used mechanisms.
Have you tried 'Four Elements' by Physical Gaming? I wouldn't normally go for this sort of game, but was intrigued to see the crowds which continuously gathered around it at Airecon a few years ago when it was being demoed opposite my stand - it was a hit with kids and adults alike. Having then played it I became intrigued by its intuitive simplicity which makes it a really accessible game to play with people who don't think of themselves as gamers.
Analysing it in terms of your mechanisms:
1. Playing Pieces: it has beautiful translucent acrylic playing pieces which slide well across the playing surface (you can use any table or smoothish surface, or a 4 Elements playing mat). Each player's pieces are coloured to correspond to their element (ie White for Air, Green for Earth, Red for Fire and Blue for Water).
2. Elimination: the goal of 4 Elements is player elimination by knocking opponents' 'Lord' pieces off the table or mat - I don't normally like player elimination as a mechanism, but each game plays so quick it doesn't matter too much here.
3. Accuracy: this is key in terms of skillfully flicking pieces with the aim of knocking other pieces off, and ideally not knocking your own out in the process.
4. Reversible pieces: not used.
5. Stacking pieces: Pieces can be stacked or positioned 3 dimensionally, but only during initial set up.
6. Barriers and terrain: Some of the pieces are 'Defenders' which act as barriers and are placed in the initial set-up phase. The fact that you can play 4 Elements on any table lends itself to other barriers being used such as coffee cups or plates.
7. Table Edge: this is a key part of the design because of the knocking out mechanism (which I see that Pitch Out also uses). As you say, if playing on a normal table, losing pieces on the floor can be a pain. The tournament tables that Physical Gaming use at conventions have a gutter that resolves that problem.
8. Different sized pieces: The Lord pieces are larger than the Attacker and Defender pieces, as well as using different shapes for each type in ways designed to correspond to the elements of Air, Earth, Fire and Water. eg the Fire pieces look like flames. The different players also have different numbers of pieces, eg there are more Air attackers, but they're much lighter. Water has the least Defenders but they're the largest. This gives it a degree with asymmetry which makes playing each element feel slightly different, and adds to the appeal of the game.
9. Special Powers: not used
10. Variable set-up: this is used to some extent, and sems to go down well with players because the shapes of the pieces can interlock in different ways. It has relatively limited impact on gameplay aside from positioning Defenders to help protect the Lord pieces at the start.
I've been discussing with Physical Gaming ways to develop a new flicking game (provisionally called Katak Arena) drawing on what works well with Four Elements, while also introducing more theme into the pieces, and potentially giving special powers and different terrain aspects depending on features on player mats. We haven't really considered reversible pieces, but may play around with some ideas there. Have also considered options like real-time simultaneous play ather than turn-based as well as playing in teams.
Other learning from Four Elements (which is more relevant to some of your product design videos than this one about flicking mechanisms) is the need to get the product packaging right. The orginal Four Elements came either in a custom-made but expensive wooden box or a canvas bag, which worked ok at conventions but wasn't suitable for retail. Whereas Katak Arena will likely be packaged in DVD-style boxes which should stack neatly on shelves and with artwork designed to appeal to the main target audience of teenagers.
All this has reminded me that I've designed another dexterity game which had a simple select, place and flick mechanism. The early prototype was promising, but I put it on hold last year due to work and because I didn't have a 3D printer. Must return to it as I think with a bit more development it should be pitchable.
Thanks Dave. I saw Four Elements at Essen (or UKGE - can’t remember which). Looked fun.
Was good to see you applying the mechanisms to an analysis of the game. That’s exactly what I do with these lists - it’s how I identify “gaps” in the market.
Good luck with your design.
I haven’t played Sonora, but it combines flicking with “&write” and it looks interesting
That does sound interesting. I'll have to look into that one!
Ok that sounds like an intriguing substitute for randomness
I read the title of this video too quickly, and thought you had simply lost it with designing boardgames! Ahhh Flicking...
TH-cam flagged it up as unsuitable for advertising… I guess for the same reason?!?! I had to appeal & they changed their mind :D
Perhaps I’ll change to a more clickbait title:
“Adam in Wales’ most shocking video. The one TH-cam tried to ban!”
Deffo, You tube tried to ban this!
Haha!
Sonora is probably the most popular new innovation in the genre.
For me, flicking is not a skill I have, and I don't feel like spending hours, days, or weeks getting good at it.
I'm generally a little surprised that flicking games are so popular among hobby gamers, and trivia games aren't even though both require a very specific skill that is not that common.
I definitely want to try Sonora! :)
*BinhoBoard* (football/soccer)
i love this!
Flick of Faith!!!
I haven’t had a chance to try that one. But I’d like to :)
What game is that, At 8:47 ?
It’s Safranito (there’s a recent remake available called Hibachi).